Ghost Story Summary
Peter Straub

Everything you need to understand or teach Ghost Story by Peter Straub.

  • Ghost Story Summary & Study Guide

Ghost Story Summary

Most of the central characters who provide unity to the novel's collection of stories are the members of the Chowder Society. They are, as the novel begins, old men who have lived in Milburn, New York, for most of their lives; they are conservative and care very much about the people and values of their town. By the end of the novel, their lone survivor, Ricky James, bands together with Don Wanderley, the nephew of his late friend, and with Peter Barnes, a high school senior; thus three generations join to fight the evil which is rapidly gaining control of their town. This small group is far more diverse than the Chowder Society and is in fact like the group of vampire hunters of Bram Stoker's Dracula in its balance of experienced but physically weak old men and inexperienced, strong young men. In each case, the apparently diverse...

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